Display device



March 1927' F. s. FULLGRAFF DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Aug. 11. 1923 INVENTOR g; ,w'

A41; ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES FRANK e. FUILLGRAFF, on NEW YORK N. Y.

DISPLAY DEVICE.

Application filed August 11, 1923. Serial No. 656,948.

This invention relates to display devices and aims to provide an illuminated sign of striking and attractive appearance which can be manufacturedv at small cost and which can be folded for ease in transportation.

A feature of the invention consists in il luminating a sign by means of diffused light, such as day light, or artificial light used to illuminate a room, so that the sign may be evenly illuminated Without providing the device with light-diffusing screens.

A further feature of the invention consists in illuminating a sign by means of a reflector having a colored reflecting surface, so that the sign may be given a colored appearance without the use of color screens.

A further feature of the invention con- 'sists in providing a display device including a light transmittin sign and a reflector and supports for the re ector all arranged so that the device may be folded flat for transportation.

A still further feature of the invention consists in providing adjustable means for positioning a reflector at any one of a number of different angles to a sign to be illuminated, so that diffused light from any conconvenient source may be reflected through the sign.

The nature of the invention may best be understood by a detailed description of the specific display devices embodying the invention whlch are shown inthe accompanying drawing, in which ig. 1 is a front elevation of a display device showing the sign partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a back elevation of the display device;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of device; and

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of a modified form of the device. p I

The display device illustrated in Fi 1, 2 and 3 comprises .a sign 10 and a re ector 11. The sign is formed of a piece of stifi' sheet material, such as cardboard, and contains openings 12 forming letters or other matter to be displayed. The reflector 11 conthe display sists of a piece 13 of stiff sheet material, such as cardboard, and a plurality of strips 13 of differently colored tinsel paper pasted or otherwise secured to one side of the piece 13 to form a multi-coloned reflecting surface. The reflector '11 is hinged at its lower edge to the back of us sign 10. In the form shown, the sheet'13 has ahinge flange 14 made integral therewith, and this flange is pasted or otherwise secured to the back of cooperating engaging means. In the form.

shown these means include tabs 17 projecting from the free corners of the sheet 13 and holes 18 formed in the end flaps 15 near their outer corners. The device may a supporting flap 20 to hold the sign upright. In the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the sup- Eorting flap 20 is provided with a hinge ange 21 which is secured to the back of the piece 13 near the middle thereof.

When the device is placed in display'position the end flaps 15 are extended at right angles to the sign 10. The reflector 11 is inclined to the sign 10 and its tabs 17 are inserted in the holes 18 of the end flaps. The support 20 is extended at right angles to the s gn andserves to hold the device with the slgn in verticalposition. I

When the device is in display position diffused light from above, which may be either dayhght or artifical light, enters the device through the open space provided between the up er edges of the sign and the reflector, str1 es the tinsel strips 13', and is reflected outwardly through the openings 12 in the sign. The letters formed b the oenings 12 are thus evenly illuminated 'n dierent col ors.

' When the display device is to be transported the end flaps 15 are swung outwardl to a sufiicient extent to release the tabs 1 of the reflector 11. The end flaps 15 and the support 20 are then folded in so that they all lie in substantially the same plane as the sign 10. The device ma then easily be trans orted, or may be piaced in an envelope or shipment.

In the modified device shown in Fig. 4 the end flaps 15' are provided with a plurality of openings18', 18 18 The tabs 17 of the "reflector 11 may be inserted in any of these holes and thus the angle betweenathe reflector and. the sign 10'. may be varied. When the sign is placed in a store window and it is desired to utilize daylight entering be provided with a the window above the sign, the-tabs 17 may in the openings :18, while, if the lig hind the sign, the tabs are placed in the:

be placed inthe openings 18' so that light reaching the reflector from in front of the sign will be reflected through the openings in the sign. If the li ht reaches the device from digectlyfaboye, die tabs 17 arfiplaisd t is eolpenings 18. In the form shown in Fig. 4, t e supporting flap 20' is hinged to the back of the lower portion 22 of the sign 10 instead of being hingedto the back of the reflector.

From the above description it is apparent that the invention provides a simple and practical illuminated sign which may be constructed at small cost. I wish it understood, however, that the invention is by no means limited to the details of construction of par-.-

ticular embodiments which have been described in order to illustrate the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A display device, comprising a sign having light transmitting portions forming the matter to be displayed, a reflector hinged at its lower edge to the back of said sign, and fla s of stiff sheet material hinged to the bac of said sign at its ends, said reflector and said flaps being provided with co- 0 ratin engaging means and being adapte to 01 flat against the sign.

2. A display device, comprising a wall of stiff, sheet material having a part with light transmitting portions forming the matter to be displayed, a reflector hin ed at its lower edge to the back of said Wall so that it may -be folded against the wall or extended at an angle thereto, flaps of stiff sheet material hinged to the back of said wall along its ends and adapted to be folded against the wall or extended at right angles thereto, said flaps and said reflector being provided with cooperating engaging means, and a prop hinged to the device so that it may be extended to hold said wall in vertical position and may be folded in against the devlce.

3. A display device, comprising a sign of stiff sheet material containing openings forming the matter to be displayed, a reflector hinged. along its lower edge to the back of said sign tabs projecting outwardly from the ends of the reflector, and end flaps of stiff sheet material hinged to said sign along its'ends and each containing a plurality of holes in which the tabs of the reflector'maybe inserted to the sign. Y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

hold it at different angles to FRANK G.FULLGRAF1T 

